Colorado XLVI

Those from Colorado had an unexpected hero who led the fight for their recognition and honor. Today, I will tell what I can about three who are honored by his efforts, but you can read more about him here.

Colorado Vietnam Memorial, Pueblo.

Stanley Loyd Baker

LCPL Stanley Baker was killed when his convoy was ambushed in Thuy Thein. He was lost to "Artillery, rocket, or mortar..." He was lost on February 7, 198. He is buried at Ft. Logan National Cemetery in Colorado.

Jerry Lee Borgans

PFC Jerry Borgans was killed instantly while attempting to secure a bridge site over a river in Phuoc Long. He was lost on March 13, 1967, and his buried at Ft. Logan, too.

Ronald Coleman Toth

LCPL Ronald Toth was lost to "small arms fire" in the Quang Tri Province. He was lost o September 7, 1967. He is buried at Ft. Logan.

All three of these lost heroes were from Westminster, Colorado which is just north of Denver.

Next time, on August 16th, we will return to Connecticut, so join me, as always, at 9 am.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia, Molly from Florida, Colleen (now three) from Pennsylvania, Elli from Maryland, and Peg and Ray from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served and/or were lost in 'Nam, and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left ed in Neillsville. The site was chosen because the and I will gladly share them here. 

I hope all those listed here will encourage you to send along photos and join the group.

Colorado XLV

I just love the memorial in Aurora Colorado. Designed to mimic the mountains, the last vets would see as they left for 'nam and the first on the way home, it honors many.

I had planned to feature some names taken directly from one of my photos. I started checking them out on the VVMF Wall of Faces site and, oddly I thought, could not find them. I thought I had discovered an error in the records keeping.

Silly me. 

Well further investigation showed me that the memorial in Aurora is not only a Vietnam memorial but one to all from the area over many, many years. Over 6,000 in all. 

A different search method uncovered quite a few from Aurora lost in 'Nam, just not those I happened to focus on during my visit. 

Today, just a representative few.

Thomas Barber

Airman Thomas Barber was a crew member on a plane searching for submarines. The plane lost contact with land and never heard from again. Some wreckage was found but the reason for the loss was never determined. All crew members were lost and presumed dead. He is still listed as MIA.

 

Sp4 Joseph Cornelison was a chopper mechanic based in Bien Hoa. On April 26, 1969 the chopper he was a crew member to was lost, shot down on a mission in Cambodia.

On April  26, 1969 Sp4 Cornelison died. He was not on the chopper. He was in Bien Hoa. His death was classified as a suicide or self inflicted injury.

This is another of those stories that is even sadder for the fact that it is even more useless than the other tragedies of that war.

Richard L. Davis

Sp4 Richard Davis was lost on June 22, 1969 when his mobile antiaircraft weapon (called a "Duster") hit a mine.

I spend a lot of time searching for photos and info about these heroes that I highlight here. It saddens me that so very little information is available and that better photos are not provided. These men and women should be better treated, remembered, honored, in my view. 

Next time on the 24th we will return to Connecticut, so join me there, as usual at 9:00 am. 

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia, Molly from Florida, Colleen from Pennsylvania, Elli from Maryland, and Peg and Ray from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served and/or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here.

I hope all those listed here will encourage you to send along photos and join the group.

Colorado XLIV

Returning, as I so often do, to Fountain, Colorado to the remarkable Railroad Park. The Wall here list dozens, if not hundreds, of names of those from the area that served our country. Not all were lost but all deserve to be remembered

All gave some, some gave all.

 I have posted from here before (and will continue to do so) and you can see a few of those other posts here, here, and here.

Today, simple three more heroes.

 

Next time, on the 12th of March, we will return to Delaware. So, as always, join me there at 9:00 am. 

To see Vietnam memorials from any state and Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico click on the individual names on the left side of this page.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, Colleen from Pennsylvania, and very soon Elli from Maryland, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Colorado XLIII

Once again I want to highlight this remarkable site in Fountain, which on several posts on this site I have referred to as Fountain Valley which is what the greeting sign says, but it seems the actual town name is Fountain.

You can see those other posts here, here, and here.

Fountain is a little south and east of Colorado Springs and about an hour and a half from Denver.

 Today, a few more of the heroes honored and forever remembered here.

 

Next time, on the 19th of January, we will return to Maryland. So, as always, join me there at 9:00 am. 

To see Vietnam memorials from any state and Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico click on the individual names on the left side of this page.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, Colleen from Pennsylvania, and very soon Elli from Maryland, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Colorado XLII

I get to go to Colorado every year or two and it is every bit as awesome and beautiful as you have heard. Sadly, I have not been back as recently as I would like. At one time, I thought it just might be the state with the most Vietnam memorials as I had found so many.

Truthfully, I don't know which state holds that honor, in fact, no one seems to know how many there are throughout the country. Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) tried to collect and catalogue them all but finally had to throw up their hands and give up. The number was a moving target at all times. As recently as this past June, Nebraska dedicated a brand new site in Papillion. I hope to get there some time.

I return today to  Fountain Valley and their Wall of Honor. Among the hundreds of names from several wars are many of our comrades from Vietnam.

The following are just a few more of those who gave all or were wounded in action.

This is actually the first time I have seen this designation on a memorial.

Having worked on the memorial in my town, I know just how hard it is to get all the names and everything correct. So, I appreciate the work done here to salute the brave souls listed, honored, and remembered.

Next time, on September 20th, we will revisit Delaware, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Colorado, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Colorado XLI

I've been thinking a lot recently about the women who served with us in 'Nam. In a past post I spelled out some details about just how many there were and how many were lost. We are probably all aware of the eight nurses listed on the wall, but many others were lost, too. You can see that post here.

I have just finished reading Kristin Hannah's book, The Women and while it is a novel and has a number of intertwined story lines, I must say that when it comes to 'Nam and the women who served, she gets much of it right. I recommend you read it.

So, as I was looking for something to post from Colorado, I came across these pics from Fountain Valley and decided to share them with you today.

After reading MS Hannah's book it got me thinking about real heroes and these women, especially the Nurses, certainly qualify. We all saw what we saw, did what we did, but these valiant, brave and noble women saw it day after day after day after day. They, too, were treated badly upon return and to this day receive even less recognition and honor than the rest of us do. 

Look through this site and see how very few memorials are dedicated solely to the service of women.

If you get a chance, look up MS Hannah's book: The women.

Next time, on the 16th, we will return to Delaware, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Colorado, or any other state, please click on a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron, and Molly from Florida have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Colorado XL

My last post from Colorado was of the memorial dedicated by the Vietnamese community of Denver. As I explained then it was a very difficult shoot for me. You can review all that here. That being said, I want to try to give you some feeling for the faces, as I so often do, of those who fought and of some who were lost.

These particular likenesses were quite high above the ground so suffer, some, from not being able to capture them straight on.

Anyway, we owe them honor.

 

 

 

The statues are well worn but still...

I wish the circumstances had been better and that I had been able to do them greater justice.

Next time, on the 11th, we will make a return visit to Delaware, so check back to see if I made it and join me there, as always, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Colorado, or any other state, please click on the state name on the left side of this page. Take note, too, that Ireland, Canada, and Puerto Rico  have been recently added to the list.

Once more I will ask anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not shown here, to send then to me and I will include them (giving you full credit.) Any number of you have added knowledge and honor to this site by doing just that. It is always appreciated and makes this effort better, more completed. Thanks to those who have contributed and to anyone who will do so in the future.

Colorado XXXIX

I was leaving Colorado the next morning and really wanted to find this memorial before I headed home.

The odds were seemingly stacked against me. I had popped my Plantar Fascia that day which had really slowed me down. I arrived on the south side of Denver just as twilight was beginning. As is so often the case, my directions to the exact spot were somewhat weak, but then I saw it. In a parking lot that seemed to belong to a Costco, it stood.

Located in what is known as "Little Saigon" it is a tribute to all who tried to save South Vietnam. It was kind of interesting because every sign, bright neon, was in Vietnamese, row after row of stores and businesses.

By the time I parked and gather my camera it was nearly too dark to proceed, but not knowing when, or if, I would ever get back to Denver, I took my chances.

These are just a couple of shots from the site, I expect to post more at a future time.

An American and a Vietnamese soldier stand together in defense of the country.

No names are listed here except the small silver colored plaques on the right that thank various donors and supporters.

Other than this plaque, no additional information is provided, but this link will take you to a site that offers some insights.

https://www.historycolorado.org/story/2023/10/06/cause-freedom-remembering-vietnam-war 

I include this detail because it matched the head of a cane I purchased while in 'Nam and was wondering if any of you know any information about it. It seems to me that if it is so common that there might be cultural significance or a story connected. Anyone?

Next time, on the 27th, we will revisit Kansas, so meet me there as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Colorado, or any other state, please click on the state name on the left side of this page.

I will ask, as I do at the end of nearly every post now, for anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not seen here to please send them to me. I will give you full photo credit for the pic and any information about it you may know. Check your state, or anywhere you may have visited, from the list at the left, or any place else. Please send them to the email at the left or directly to me at Ldddad@comcast.net. Thanks.

Colorado XXXVIII

For reasons beyond my ken, this did not post on the 6th as it was scheduled to do. So, if you are reading this it is the 10th (or later) and it has posted after I adjusted the due date (and hope it works.) Therefore, the promised Kansas post, due on the 12th, will be moved to the 17th to get things back in order of every 5th day at 9:00am. ( I was at sea returning from Sydney, Cape Breton when all this managed to malfunction. Home now, and hopefully back on track.)

1Lt. Sharon Lane was the only one of the eight nurses killed in 'Nam as a direct result of enemy fire. Killed in a mortar attack ( I have, also, read it was a rocket attack) while trying to protect her patients. She is remembered on the The Wall in DC, as well as other places throughout the U.S. I have seen memorials in Ohio where she was born and this one in Colorado. 

Before volunteering to serve in 'Nam, she worked on TB wards at Fort Simmons in Denver.

The Nursing School at the University of Colorado named this road in her honor.

Lt. Lane represents the very best in us, volunteering to aid the injured, something she did not have to do. This perhaps is the highest form of heroism.

Marker is at or near this postal address: 13120 East 19th Avenue, Aurora CO 80045, United States of America

Next time, on the 17th, we will return to Kansas, so meet me there, as always, at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials from Colorado, or any other state, please click on a state name on the left side of this page.

If you follow along here you know that I always ask readers to send me any memorials, that I have not featured here, that they may have seen, I promise to give photo credits (which might only matter to professionals) and hope that some might do so. A number of you have honored me and our fellow vets by doing just that and I hope this will encourage more of you to get in touch.

If you have photos, please send them to the address at the right side of this page.

Colorado XXXVII

 I visited Fountain, Colorado the last time I visited the state. I didn't know what to expect and after visiting a small, defunct memorial  about to give up when some teenagers happened to walk by. I asked them about memorials in the area and they directed me to this wonderful park further into the area.

Once called Caboose Park (look behind the tree on the right) and then Mayor's Park, it is now dedicated to those who served their country.

There are a number of notable features here, but today I will focus on the Honor Wall.

The following, in no particular order, are a few of the honored. They need no commentary from me.

 

There are many, many more here from 'Nam as well as our other conflicts, they like all who serve deserve our everlasting gratitude. their families need all the support they need, and they, too, our respect.

Next time, on the 13th, we will return to Delaware, so meet me there at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials from Colorado, or any other state, please click the state name on the left side of this page.

I will ask, as I do at the end of nearly every post now, for anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not seen here to please send them to me. I will give you full photo credit for the pic and any information about it you may know. Check your state, or anywhere you may have visited, from the list at the left, or any place else. Please send them to the email at the left or directly to me at Ldddad@comcast.net. Thanks.

Colorado XXXVI

 

Last fall I was, once again, in Colorado and as seems to happen most times I am there, I found myself at the Colorado Springs Memorial.

I am not sure why, but it seems to happen that each time I visit I find something I have not seen before.

This time it was a memorial to War Dogs.

If you have spent any time on this site, you know how big a soft spot I have for dogs. I've told the story of my dog in 'Nam. Not a military dog, just a dog who adopted me the day I arrived. She rarely left my side and only through the most difficult of circumstances was I forced to leave her behind when I came home.

Maybe that is why I always like to feature our friends, comrades and protectors when I have the chance.

So, as I walked around the site I came across these guys. Maybe they were always there, but this time we met.

The memorial, of course, honors dogs from many wars and those lost at the World Trade Center.

For some reason, I really like the idea of the two dogs gazing at the tower. 

There are a number of these pavers here honoring dogs from many wars and 9/11.

Next time, on the 9th, we will revisit Delaware, so join me there at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials from Colorado, or any other state, please click on the state name on the left side of this page.

I will ask, as I do at the end of nearly every post now, for anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not seen here to please send them to me. I will give you full photo credit for the pic and any information about it you may know. Check your state, or anywhere you may have visited, from the list at the left, or any place else. Please send them to the email at the left or directly to me at Ldddad@comcast.net. Thanks!

Colorado XXXV

 I had seen some reporting on a Vietnam memorial in Colorado that consisted of the words "In God We Trust" covered in thousands and thousands of pennies. Recently on a trip to the area for personal reasons I decided to see if I could track it down.

Turns out that it was less than an hour from where I was staying, so I headed out. It was not until I actually arrived that I discovered that I had actually visited the site more than ten years ago.

The Leo S. Boston memorial site, when I visited, consisted of a wall dedicated to many who gave their lives for our country and a single jet airplane.You can see that post, from 11 years ago here.

It has expanded with the years.

Today, there are an additional two helicopters and some armored vehicles in addition to the aforementioned "In God We Trust."

The letters were created by Canon City High School students and the pennies were collected and cleaned before being glued in place. All of the pennies are dated from 1965 to 1971, all 58,272 of them.

The copper in the pennies is said to give a different view at different times of the day.

At first, I thought that the darker spots on the letters were missing pennies, but closer inspection showed that they were just darker.

I've, also, read that there is a statue coming. One soldier carrying another to one of the choppers for a "Dust off", no date was given for when it might be placed.

The memorial is in the Col. Leo S. Boston Park, 7.5 miles east of Canon City on US 50, on the left hand side of the road.

Next time, on the 26th, we will return to Delaware, so join me there at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials from Colorado, or any other state, please click on the state name on the left side of this page.

I will ask, as I do at the end of nearly every post now, for anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not seen here to please send them to me. I will give you full photo credit for the pic and any information about it you may know. Check your state, or anywhere you may have visited, from the list at the left, or any place else. Please send them to the email at the left or directly to me at Ldddad@comcast.net. Thanks!

Colorado XXXIV

Drew Dix is an American hero. One of the 248 who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Vietnam.

His statue is among other awardees, from other wars, in Pueblo, Colorado and I have tried, here, to add his face to the ongoing series I call Faces of Remembrance. These pictures were taken before I envisioned this effort, so are taken from lager photos, hence the quality suffers some. 

His deeds, however, are crystal clear and speak for themselves.

Below is the official citation of his bravery, gallantry, and just plain decency in aiding those in need.

"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. SSG. Dix distinguished himself by exceptional heroism while serving as a unit adviser. Two heavily armed Viet Cong battalions attacked the Province capital city of Chau Phu resulting in the complete breakdown and fragmentation of the defenses of the city. SSG. Dix, with a patrol of Vietnamese soldiers, was recalled to assist in the defense of Chau Phu. Learning that a nurse was trapped in a house near the center of the city, SSG. Dix organized a relief force, successfully rescued the nurse, and returned her to the safety of the Tactical Operations Center. Being informed of other trapped civilians within the city, SSG. Dix voluntarily led another force to rescue eight civilian employees located in a building which was under heavy mortar and small-arms fire. SSG. Dix then returned to the center of the city. Upon approaching a building, he was subjected to intense automatic rifle and machine gun fire from an unknown number of Viet Cong. He personally assaulted the building, killing six Viet Cong, and rescuing two Filipinos. The following day SSG. Dix, still on his own volition, assembled a 20-man force and though under intense enemy fire cleared the Viet Cong out of the hotel, theater, and other adjacent buildings within the city. During this portion of the attack, Army Republic of Vietnam soldiers inspired by the heroism and success of SSG. Dix, rallied and commenced firing upon the Viet Cong. SSG. Dix captured 20 prisoners, including a high ranking Viet Cong official. He then attacked enemy troops who had entered the residence of the Deputy Province Chief and was successful in rescuing the official's wife and children. SSG. Dix's personal heroic actions resulted in 14 confirmed Viet Cong killed in action and possibly 25 more, the capture of 20 prisoners, 15 weapons, and the rescue of the 14 United States and free world civilians. The heroism of SSG. Dix was in the highest tradition and reflects great credit upon the U.S. Army.^"

^{As I have traveled the country I have found that several states, four I think, actually claim Mr. Dix as their own. He was born in New York, but was raised in Pueblo and I am not sure of the connection to other states.}

^{He attempted to join the Special Forces upon enlisting at 18 years old but was considered too young. Three later he was accepted to this elite force.}

^{He was later given a promotion to officer status and retired years later as a Major.}

^{Mr. Dix was the first Special Forces member to be a recipient of the Medal of Honor.}

^{Next time, I hope to have found something new in Delaware. Check back on the 18th, as always, at 9:00am, to see how that worked out.}

^{To see additional memorials from Colorado, or any other state, please click on the state name on the left side of this page.}

I will ask, as I do at the end of nearly every post now, for anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not seen here to please send them to me. I will give you full photo credit for the pic and any information about it you may know. Check your state, or anywhere you may have visited, from the list at the left.

Colorado XXXIII

I have noticed as I have traveled around the country that Vietnam memorials tend, with notable exceptions, to fall into one of three types. I call them "some version of The Wall," "chopper on a stick," and "comrades." 

The first two are pretty obvious I think and the third usually depicts soldiers on patrol, or a fallen solder being aided by others. Occasionally, someone has the forethought to include a women, always, of course, a nurse.

But, even more rarely than any of these is the inclusion of loved ones.

In western Colorado at what is called the Western Slope Vietnam Memorial, Richard Arnold,(Da Nang '65) has done just that. Richard has done several memorials around the country and has often included these overlooked family members.

Today, in this Faces of Remembrance post I will share the faces of the parents in addition to that of the returning Marine.

Mr. Arnold consulted with several vets while designing this memorial and they told him of how their parents had looked upon their return. Not overwhelmingly happy as Richard had imagined them, but more weary and haggard. Exactly what He was able to reflect in these faces.

 

 

And even more so in this Mother. 

Obviously, there is joy but, also, relief from the longest year of their live, too.

 

My brother, the very first to respond to this site all those years ago, commented on how our parents "were" during my tour and how their anxiety and concern increased as the days to my return decreased. I think Richard captured that very thing in this sculpture.

You can find the Western Slope Memorial and the Welcome Home statues at the memorial near Fruita, Colorado.

 

Please, I would ask that any reader who might have pics of Vietnam memorials not found on this site to send them to me. I will be happy to include them here and give the sender full credit. I would like to make this site as comprehensive as possible and my ability to travel to every site out there is limited, so, let me know what you have. You can contact me at the email on the left. 

 

Next time, on the 3rd of February, we will return to Connecticut, so, as always, meet me there at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials from Colorado, or any other state, please click on the state name on the left side of this page.